Greece: Tsipras's book causes a stir
Former Greece prime minister and erstwhile head of the leftist Syriza party, Alexis Tsipras (in office 2015-2019) has written a book titled Ithaka. It deals with his turbulent time in office during Greece's debt crisis in the mid-2010s. For the Greek press the book is Tspipras's attempt to launch a political comeback.
Full of useful insights
Alexis Tsipras's book is a political event, enthuses Naftemporiki:
“It opens a public debate on our national drama, explores our nation's future, generates controversy and redefines allies and adversaries. It stimulates political dialogue at a time of unbearable political apathy. It is also a book full of useful insights. ... Ithaca is also a personal political triumph. There are not many former prime ministers who have issued a mea culpa – at least not before retiring. ... Even fewer have taken responsibility and openly pointed out wrong moves, wrong people, wrong turns.”
Tragic lack of strategy
To Vima was disillusioned by Tspipras's book:
“What stands out from its 760 pages is a tragic lack of strategy from either him or his party at every critical phase of their time in office. A lack of a plan to deal with the memorandum crisis and creditors. An inability to analyse the international situation. An inertia when it came to bringing about the necessary changes to the party. The logical consequence of this was a bloodless opposition leadership and the fall of Syriza: from 36 percent in 2015 to 31 percent in 2019, and ultimately to 17 percent in 2023.”
Ex-PM takes his place among the narcissists
Tsipras's book is pure navel gazing, scoffs Protagon:
“That is the central thesis of this book, that Tsipras is a politician whose career was stymied by his colleagues, whose blunders prevented him from fulfilling his true potential. From the perspective of political marketing, this borders on suicidal. ... At the same time he is publishing a book about himself and is founding a party about which we know only one thing: that it will be his own. He is right when he says that 'the Left attracts narcissists like moths to light.' But he's very wrong if he thinks he's not talking about himself.”